The Editor, Sir:

RECENTLY, I watched on television, an impassioned speech made by Children's Advocate, Mary Clarke, regarding a 15-year-old girl who allegedly ran away from home because she found out she was pregnant and did not want her parents to know. Clarke blamed the Church and the community for not having helped this teenager. Many teenagers do not attend church, so how will the church know they are having difficulties?

As an advocate, Clarke is far removed from the reality facing some parents/guardians, the Church, the school and community, as far as some young people are concerned. Whereas there is a definite need for the nurturing of our young people by all the agencies just named, I believe they (agencies) have to be afforded the chance to help. They cannot just impose themselves on the present young people. If they do, without an 'invitation', they won't last as long as a snowball in hell.

One-on-one

As a mother and an active church and community member who raps with children on a one-on-one basis, spanning a period of over half a century, I know that what I just stated is a fact. It does not matter who her parents are. It is my view that if she had a relationship with them, she would not have run away. Had she been connected to a church or people in her community, she would have been guided or helped.

I think that children's advocates need to be more aware of the situations they speak publicly about before they go blaming all and sundry for what happens to some young people. Society cannot be broad brushed for everything that happens when some of these children cannot be related to or curbed. If more parents would enrol their children in churches and positive community endeavours, they (children) would have less time to get involved in adult affairs.

I am, etc.,

ROSE DEWAR

ridewar@hotmail.com